Damping apparatus

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

0001This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 2002-73043, filed on Nov. 22, 2002, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

00021. Field of the Invention

0003The present invention relates to a damping apparatus restraining vibration transfer between objects.

00042. Description of the Related Art

0005In general, as shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>, a damping apparatus <b>10</b> is installed between two objects <b>11</b> and <b>12</b> to restrain vibration transfer between the two objects. The conventional damping apparatus is comprised of a rubber member <b>13</b> for absorbing vibration, and lower and upper plates <b>14</b> and <b>15</b> made of steel and joined to the lower and upper ends of the rubber member <b>13</b>, respectively, by adhesive bonding or insert molding. Threaded portions <b>14</b><i>a </i>and <b>15</b><i>a </i>are provided at the lower and upper plates <b>14</b> and <b>15</b>, respectively. After the threaded portions <b>14</b><i>a </i>and <b>15</b><i>a </i>are inserted through the through-holes <b>11</b><i>a </i>and <b>12</b><i>a</i>, nuts <b>16</b> and <b>17</b> are tightened to fix the damping apparatus <b>10</b> between the two objects <b>11</b> and <b>12</b>. After assembly, the rubber member <b>13</b> buffers a vibration generated by either of the objects <b>11</b> and <b>12</b> to lessen vibration transfer between the objects.

0006In joining the damping apparatus <b>10</b> to the two objects <b>11</b> and <b>12</b>, another method is employed in addition to the above-mentioned method in which the nuts <b>16</b> and <b>17</b> are fitted around the threaded portions <b>14</b><i>a </i>and <b>15</b><i>a </i>and tightened. Alternatively, a threaded hole <b>14</b><i>a</i>′ is provided at one plate, for example, the lower plate <b>14</b>, and a bolt <b>16</b>′ is screwed to fasten the object <b>11</b> to the damping apparatus <b>10</b> as shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref>.

0007However, in both of these structures, drawbacks include that the processes of manufacturing and installing the damping apparatus are very troublesome. That is, for example, in the damping apparatus <b>10</b> shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>, first, the lower and upper plates <b>14</b> and <b>15</b> are made by press stamping or casting. Then, the plates <b>14</b> and <b>15</b> are provided with respective through holes, and the threaded portions <b>14</b><i>a </i>and <b>15</b><i>a </i>are assembled to the respective plates <b>14</b> and <b>15</b>. Thereafter, the rubber member <b>13</b> is attached to the assembled plates <b>14</b> and <b>15</b> with an adhesive, or is joined to the assembled plates <b>14</b> and <b>15</b> by insert molding. Since the conventional damping apparatus <b>10</b> is manufactured as described above, the manufacturing process thereof is troublesome.

0008Further, in the installing process of the damping apparatus <b>10</b>, the damping apparatus <b>10</b> is disposed on the first object <b>11</b>, and the threaded portion <b>14</b><i>a </i>and the nut <b>16</b> are firmly joined. Then, the second object <b>12</b> is disposed on the damping apparatus <b>10</b>, and the threaded portion <b>15</b><i>a </i>and the nut <b>17</b> are firmly joined. Since the installing process requires multiple assembling steps as described above, the installing process is not as simple as desired. Further, from a view of material management, or manufacturing cost, it is not preferable that separate joining members, such as the nuts <b>16</b> and <b>17</b> and the bolt <b>16</b>′, must be separately prepared and used.

0009Therefore, a damping apparatus having an improved structure is required to overcome these drawbacks, among others.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

0010The present invention provides a damping apparatus having an improved structure so that the installing process thereof can be conveniently performed.

0011According to an aspect of the present invention, a damping apparatus is provided including a first member joined to a first object, a second member joined to a second object, and a vibration absorbing member installed between the first and second members for absorbing vibration. At least one of the first and second members is provided with elastic hooks used in joining so that the elastic hooks can be elastically caught by respective edge portions provided at the corresponding object, and the member can be joined to the corresponding object.

0012Additional aspects and/or advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

0013These and/or other aspects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

0014<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> is a partially sectioned view illustrating a conventional damping apparatus;

0015<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref> is a section view illustrating another conventional damping apparatus;

0016<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3A</figref> is an exploded perspective view illustrating a damping apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention;

0017<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3B</figref> is a bottom perspective view of the damping apparatus shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3A</figref>; and

0018<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 4 and 5</figref> are perspective views for explaining the installing of the damping apparatus shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 3A and 3B</figref>.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

0019Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout. The embodiments are described below to explain the present invention by referring to the figures.

0020<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 3A and 3B</figref> are exploded perspective views illustrating a damping apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention, viewed from an upper position and a lower position, respectively.

0021As shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 3A and 3B</figref>, a damping apparatus <b>100</b> is installed between the objects <b>101</b> and <b>102</b>, and restrains vibration transfer between the objects <b>101</b> and <b>102</b>. <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 3A and 3B</figref> each show an example in which the first object <b>101</b> is a hard disk drive, and the second object <b>102</b> is a base plate on which the hard disk is installed. As illustrated in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 3A and 3B</figref> there may be multiple base plates <b>102</b>. Alternatively the base plate <b>102</b> can be one plate (not shown). Since the hard disk drive <b>101</b> generates various vibrations due to the high-speed revolution of the hard disk, the vibrations may be transferred to other related components and the surroundings. In addition, when external vibrations are transferred to the hard disk drive, recording and/or reproducing operations of the hard disk drive may be affected by the external vibrations. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce vibration transfer between the objects <b>101</b> and <b>102</b> by installing the damping apparatus between the objects <b>101</b> and <b>102</b>.

0022The damping apparatus <b>100</b> includes a rubber member <b>130</b> that is a vibration absorbing member for absorbing vibration, and first and second members, e.g., upper and lower plates <b>110</b> and <b>120</b> joined to upper and lower sides of the rubber member <b>130</b>, respectively. The upper and lower plates <b>110</b> and <b>120</b> are joined to the upper and lower surfaces of the rubber member <b>130</b>, respectively by attaching with an adhesive, or insert molding. The upper plate <b>110</b>, of the two plates <b>110</b> and <b>120</b>, is joined to a first object. Screws S (<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref>) are screwed into the threaded holes <b>101</b><i>a </i>of the first object <b>101</b> through the through holes <b>111</b>, as illustrated in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 3A and 3B</figref>. According to an aspect of the invention, the upper plate <b>110</b> is made of a stainless steel plate plated with nickel substantially preventing the effects of electromagnetic interference.

0023In addition, the lower plate <b>120</b> is provided with elastic hooks <b>121</b> elastically catchable by the second object <b>102</b>. According to an aspect of the invention, the lower plate <b>120</b> is made of a strongly elastic material such as spring steel, aluminium, or engineering plastic.

0024The damping apparatus <b>100</b>, having such a structure, is installed between the first and second objects <b>101</b> and <b>102</b>. The damping apparatus <b>100</b> is joined to the first object <b>101</b>. After through holes <b>111</b>, formed in the upper plate <b>110</b> are aligned with the threaded holes <b>101</b><i>a </i>of the first object <b>101</b>, screws S are fitted to the through holes <b>111</b>, screwed into the threaded holes <b>101</b><i>a</i>, and tightened.

0025Thereafter, the damping apparatus <b>100</b> assembled to the first object <b>101</b> is assembled to the second object <b>102</b>. The damping apparatus <b>100</b> is simply pressed downward so that the elastic hooks <b>121</b> are elastically caught by edge portions <b>102</b><i>a </i>of the second object <b>102</b> and can be locked as shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 5</figref>.

0026After the damping apparatus <b>100</b> is assembled to the objects <b>101</b> and <b>102</b> as described above, vibrations transferred in any of the directions of X, Y, and Z axes, as shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 5</figref> are lessened by the damping apparatus <b>100</b>. For example, when a vibration is transferred in the X-axis direction, the elastic hooks <b>121</b> are caught, and locked, by the hooking projections <b>102</b><i>b </i>and, therefore, the vibration and impact are absorbed by the shear deformation of the rubber member <b>130</b>. In addition, when a vibration is transferred in the Y-axis direction, the elastic hooks <b>121</b> facing each other exert a locking force towards each other with the second object <b>102</b> interposed therebetween, and, therefore, the vibration and impact are absorbed by shear deformation of the rubber member <b>130</b>. When vibration is transferred in the Z-axis direction, the hooking projections of the elastic hooks <b>121</b> are caught and locked by edge portions <b>102</b><i>a </i>of the second object <b>102</b>, and, therefore, the vibration and impact are absorbed by compression or elongation deformation of the rubber member <b>130</b>. Consequently, a vibration transferred to any direction can be absorbed and lessened smoothly.

0027As described above, in the damping apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention, since at least one of the first and second objects is simply joined to the damping apparatus by using elastic hooks as opposed to a conventional apparatus having the first and second objects joined to the damping apparatus by requiring the screwing of all screwing members such as bolts and nuts and the like, the installation process of the damping apparatus of the present invention can be performed in a simpler manner. In addition, since screwing members are unnecessary in the side using the elastic hooks, the number of parts can be reduced.

0028Although a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in this embodiment without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined the appended] claims and their equivalents.